Courts

No. Cell phones, cameras and any other electronic device is prohibited in all Norfolk courthouses - whether you are there for a trial or to obtain a record or license. Staff will not hold prohibited equipment. Lockers are located in the General District Court building (adjacent to Jail) for your use for a nominal fee on a first-come, first-served basis.

Parking is available at MacArthur South and 999 Main Avenue (across the street from the Civic Plaza). Overflow parking is available at the Harbor Park surface lot, 101 Park Avenue. Additional Parking Information

Emergency Communications/911

You will be asked the address where you need an officer, fire or rescue to respond. You will also be asked who, what, when, where, why and weapons along with any description of the person or cars. You will also be asked for some pre-arrival medical information. We will dispatch medical response as soon as possible, but will stay on the phone so we can obtain further information.

Our Telecommunicators are trained to get as much information as possible regarding the situation to ensure the proper resources are sent and bring the proper equipment. It is also to protect the responding units and other citizens in the area. Please try to be patient and answer the questions as quickly as possible.

Look for landmarks, large buildings, street signs or paperwork nearby that may contain address information. Think back to the main street or highway you were near when your emergency occurred. If others are around, ask them where you are. Do not depend on your cell phone to tell us where you are!

Assume the call taker does not know your location. Even if your cell phone is able to provide location information, you may still need to provide the call taker with additional information to determine your exact location. Remember, the approximate location the communication center receives could be as large as 3 football fields or more. Be prepared to give specific directions to your location.

Calls for service are prioritized based on the urgency of the situation. The call will be dispatched as soon as an officer is available. Sometimes what may seem like a long time, is just a few minutes.

Many times an officer would have to be called in off the street to take your report, especially if it is after 5pm. In 2006, the police department started closing the precincts a 5pm in order to provide more officers to respond to calls for service. Our officers still "make house calls."

We will always ask your name, however, you are not required to give your name, address or phone number. Even though it appears on our 911 system, just let the call taker know you would prefer to be anonymous.

You can file a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) form through the City Attorney's office who will help you complete it. They can be reached at 664-4529. You will need to include the date, approximate time, location, and type of call. Please indicate if you want a print out or audio tape.

NO, please do not program 911 or use the auto 911 feature. There are numerous accidental calls to 911 from cell phones due to this feature. Mishaps occur, use your key lock to avoid our Telecommunicators from calling you back.

Just dial 911. You will always get the nearest 911 center regardless of your location, dependent on the cell tower. Even though you purchased your phone in KS, if you are in the City of Norfolk, you will reach Norfolk 911.

Your call to 911 may need to be transferred to another agency because cell phone calls are sent to a 911 answering point based on cell tower coverage. Cell coverage areas do not always match political boundaries, so most calls are routed to a 911 answering point that serves the majority of the area. Your call may need to be transferred to the appropriate agency for the area.

Based on the nature of the call, the CAD system will assign a priority number to the call and the call in turn is dispatched accordingly. Typically, all calls that are medical or fire related have are dispatched immediately; calls that are an immediate threat to life or property will get an immediate dispatch for a police officer. Calls that have to do with reports or traffic situations that do not block the flow of traffic may get a lower priority assigned to them. The priorities are set by the Police and Fire Departments, not Emergency Communications.

The City of Norfolk's Division Emergency Communications works closely with the Norfolk Police and Fire Department; however we are not under them. We are unique in that we are directly under the Department of Emergency Preparedness and Response which also oversees all natural and man-made disasters

The CAD or Computer Aided Dispatch system is a computer program utilized by the Telecommunicators for processing incoming and dispatching calls for service. It is used to assign the closest police, fire or medic to you based on their location.

Events Planning

Special events are outdoor events hosted on City owned public property throughout the City of Norfolk and can include, but are not limited to, festivals, block parties, marketing/promotional events, community/neighborhood events, runs, walks, parades and bike races. Special events typically involve activation of a public venue with event set ups, performances or live entertainment, displays, etc.

City property is not available for set up of an individual band/DJ, vendor, informational or awareness booth or yard sale. These activities DO NOT qualify for a Special Event Permit .

Private Events Private events or invitation only events that are intended for a select group of people and not the general public, such as family reunions, birthday parties, weddings, corporate functions or church functions may reserve picnic shelters or open space areas in a park through Recreation, Parks and Open Space. To reserve a picnic shelter or park space contact Lakewood Athletics at 757-441-5835. For weddings, contact the Aquatics Division at 757-441-2400 ext. 229.

Open to the Public and Ticketed EventsEvents that are open to the public (free or for admission) and take place on City property, such as on a street, festival park, community park, or school ground should contact the Office of Special Events to coordinate event support services and obtain a permit for use of the property.

Special Events Office: Find more information at www.norfolk.gov/specialevents or call 757.664.6880.

Expressive Activity Permit Application: For events protected by the first amendment, including but not limited to, protests, rallies, demonstrations and marches.

Department of Recreation, Parks and Open Space: Find more information at www.norfolk.gov/rpos or call 757.441.2400.

Facility Use Application: Specific applications by facility/location requested vary. • For athletic events and field reservations• To reserve individual picnic shelters (maximum of 2) • ALL private/invitation only events, including but not limited to, birthday parties, family reunions, receptions or weddings in a City owned park or open space with the exception of property in the DID. • To reserve indoor space within a City owned and operated recreation, community center or aquatic facility• To use sand/beach property

Department of Planning, Development Services Center: Find more information at www.norfolk.gov/planning or call 757.664.6565.

Special Event – Private Property Permit: For businesses and organizations to conduct a special event at their facility or on private property.

Norfolk Public Schools: For more information contact the individual school you are requesting to use.

Application for Lease of School Facility: Required as the first step in the application process to use NPS grounds. A Special Event Permit application may still be required depending on the date/time of the event.

Individual picnic shelters can be rented through the Department of Recreation, Parks and Open Space. For availability, fees and policies contact Lakewood Athletics at 757-441-5835 or find more information here

An expressive activity is the right, guaranteed by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, to express beliefs and ideas without unwarranted government restriction.

It is the right of the City of Norfolk to ensure the free and safe passage of pedestrians and vehicles on the public rights-of-way, to ensure free and safe access to public areas, and otherwise regulate and control the time, place, and manner of activities that would otherwise threaten the public health, safety, and welfare, while also encouraging the exercise of rights under the First Amendment. Content of the expressive activity will never be regulated and all requests for expressive activities are treated equally, as long as the permit criteria and requirements are met. No group assembling lawfully will be discriminated against or denied the right of assembly.

The Office of Special Events has a limited supply of event equipment (tents, tables, chairs, staging, etc.) available for rent. Please review the Special Event Rental Equipment Guidelines and Application. An inventory of available equipment and costs associated can be found on the Application. City of Norfolk produced events have first priority. Availability of equipment to event/community organizers is on first come first serve basis of application submittal.

Please note the City of Norfolk does not have portable restrooms, dumpsters, etc. available for rent. This equipment can be rented from private providers.

The City of Norfolk Police Department and/or Public Works have the authority to close streets and restrict traffic for events. The City can provide these services for certain events depending on the size and nature of the event and resources/staff available on the dates requested at a fee to the event organizer. The event organizer may also choose to hire a third party vendor to close the streets as an alternative to Public Works. In the case of a third party vendor closing the street, it is required the event organizer obtains a Traffic Control Plan map from the vendor to be reviewed and approved by Public Works.

The permit for an event in the street is $100 and use of just a lane or sidewalk is $50 plus the application fee. However, labor costs associated with closing the street and restricting traffic will vary. Public Works and the Norfolk Police Department will determine the costs associated after seeing an event map/route. A full cost estimate of City services will be provided by your event coordinator prior to the event.

Events taking place in a festival park (Town Point Park and Ocean View Beach Park) or on a street qualify to serve adult beverages at an event pending the event organizer meets all the requirements of the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) and obtains the appropriate ABC license. Please refer to the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to contact a local ABC office to obtain a license.

Events taking place on Norfolk Public School grounds, parks or open space are not permitted to have alcohol.

It is at the discretion of the event organizer/promoter whether they want a particular vendor to participate in their event or not. In order to be approved to participate in an event, vendors should contact the event organizer/promoter directly for more information.

Finance

The city's CAFR s now available for viewing online. If you would like a hard copy of the document from the most recent year, please email Bea.Ebner@norfolk.gov or the Assistant Director at 757-664-4346.

An official statement is a document published by the city that discloses key information regarding a new municipal bond issue. The information includes items such as the purpose of the issue, the structure and repayment of the debt, and the financial and economic characteristics of Norfolk. Investors may use this information to evaluate the credit quality of the bond, but the official statement should not be construed as an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of the city’s bonds.

The city does not sell bonds directly from City Hall. Typically, bonds issued by the city are sold through a competitive or negotiated sale process. In either case, the bonds are purchased by a bank or investment firm and then re-marketed (re-sold) to institutional investors and/or to private individuals. You would need to contact a local bank or investment firm to find out details of how to purchase the city’s bonds.

No, sick leave is added on as retirement service credit. You get 100% of your sick leave days certified by your department added on as retirement service credit. It is calculated on a 22-day work month. For firefighters, it is calculated using a formula.

The general administration, management, and responsibility for the proper operations of the system are vested in the Board of Trustees. The board consists of the city manager, the director of finance, and seven trustees appointed by the City Council.

Each member has a very personal stake in the retirement system and your benefits will be based on your own particular situation. Most of the benefits offered by the system are based on your age, your years of credited service, average of your 36 highest months of salary (your average final compensation or AFC), and a benefit accrual rate.

When you are ready to terminate your employment with the City of Norfolk, we can calculate an estimate for you based on the average of your highest three years of salary, the number of years of service, and your particular accrual rate.

There are no service requirements for an employee to apply for accidental disability. The one prerequisite is that the injury must be compensable under the Workers’ Compensation Act. Therefore, before we take an application, the employee needs to be evaluated by Workers’ Compensation, and we need written verification from disability management regarding compensability.

Yes, the City of Norfolk provides a retirement death benefit at no charge to the retiree. The benefit is payable to the surviving spouse. If there is no surviving spouse, it is payable to unmarried children under age 18 or unmarried children over age 18, who are physically or mentally (at birth) unable to make a living. It is equal to one-half of the average final compensation in a single lump sum payment. Currently, the spouse may elect to receive, instead of the lump sum payment, a continuing monthly benefit payable until death or remarriage.

Yes, the ordinary death benefit is payable to the named beneficiary. Basically, the benefit is equal to one-half of your last year’s earned compensation in a lump sum payment. When changing beneficiaries, please complete a change of beneficiary form for the Retirement Office, as well as for the Department of Human Resources.

The Norfolk Employees’ Retirement System is located on the third floor of the City Hall Building in Room 309. The office hours are from 8 a. m. to 5 p. m. Members visiting the office should call for an appointment to alleviate service delays. The telephone number is 757-664-4738.

If you retire from the City of Norfolk on normal or early retirement and return to city employment in a position in which you are eligible to again enter the system (permanent, permanent part-time, etc.), your retirement check will stop until you leave city employment. Once you stop working, you will receive retirement benefits for the second period of service, as well as resuming your original retirement benefit.

Yes, retirement benefits are generally subject to federal and state income taxes. You can have federal and state taxes withheld from your benefit through payroll deduction by completing federal and state income tax withholding forms.

Yes, we will mail you a 1099-R tax form before the last working day of January of the following year. Also, you will receive a separate form for your contributions and interest. If you retired after January 1 of the year, you will also receive a W-2 form from the city for wages earned.

Change of Address If you have changed your residence since becoming a member of the Employees' Retirement System, be sure to provide the staff of the system with your new address by completing a Retirement System Change of Address Form.

Change of Beneficiary

If the beneficiary named by you to receive the ordinary death benefit is deceased, or if there is some other reason for changing your nominated beneficiary, file with the retirement system the name of your new beneficiary without delay.

Change of Marital Status

Please submit marital status documentation and keep the System apprised of any marital status changes.

Age is one of the major factors used to qualify you for retirement. Benefits are not paid until this information has been verified. If you have not yet presented your birth certificate to the staff of the Retirement Office, please do so without delay.

Retirement checks are mailed out the last working day of the month. With automatic direct deposit, your benefit payment is in your account when your financial institution opens for business on the last business of the month.

Direct deposit eliminates the standard 10-day waiting period to reissue checks not received because of delay or loss of checks in the mail or loss by the recipient. A number of retirees have already elected to use this method to receive their monthly pension payment. Therefore, we encourage you to take advantage of this service.

No, active and retired employees of the City of Norfolk, who have attained age 65 or are approaching that age, should register without delay for Medicare at the Social Security office in the area of their residence.

NFR has one recruit academy per year that begins in January and runs consecutively for seven months. After graduation as a Firefighter / EMT-Enhanced, each recruit has the option to continue their education as an EMT-Intermediate.

The Fire Marshals that carry weapons have successfully completed the Virginia Fire Marshal Academy or a Department of Criminal Justice Service approved police academy thus giving them full law enforcement powers. They are also responsible for investigating arson and environmental crimes, as well as enforcing the Statewide Fire Prevention Code and City Ordinances to ensure each business is a safe environment for our citizens and visitors.

Fire-Rescue Inspections

Each business has an identified business classification and is subject to an inspection within a range of every one to five years. Depending upon this business classification, or if there are identified fire and/or life safety hazards, your business may be inspected more frequently than others.

If our inspectors find any violations a re-inspection will be scheduled at no charge. If the found violations are not corrected by the re-inspection date, a second re-inspection will be scheduled and an additional $50 fee will be incurred. Failure to comply with these requirements shall lead to legal action. Violation of the Fire Code is a Class 1 Misdemeanor punishable by not more than $2,500 or imprisonment in jail not to exceed 12 months or both. Each day of non-compliance shall constitute a separate offense.

There are two separate fees required by the Fire Marshal’s Office. A fire inspection fee is billed for the fire inspection of your business. A permit fee is billed for each permit your business requires.

If it has been identified by the inspector that you need a permit, they can assist you with filling out the permit application. If you have any questions please call 757-664-6604.

There are three payment options: 1. Mail in the application and the payment (check or money order made payable to Norfolk City Treasurer) to Norfolk Fire-Rescue, 100 Brooke Avenue, Suite 400, Norfolk, VA 235102. Bring the application and the payment (check or money order made payable to Norfolk City Treasurer or bring exact cash) directly to the Fire Marshal’s Office at 100 Brooke Avenue, Suite 4003. Bring the application and the payment (check or money order made payable to Norfolk City Treasurer or bring exact cash) directly to Permitting Services located at City Hall, 810 Union Street, 4th floorInspections & Permit website

Our self-inspection guideline can assist you with determining if you have any hazards present in your business. You can find our self-inspection guidelines on the following link. Self Inspection Guidelines

Report flooded streets to the IMPACT call Center at 664-6510.This the information generates a report which is reflected in iView, an application that maps events reported to the city during a weather event. Users can view all events or select a specific event, such as flooded streets, to display on the map.

Even if you have taken steps to protect your home from flooding, you still need flood insurance if you live in a floodplain. Homeowners' policies do not cover flood damage, so you will probably need to purchase a separate policy under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

It takes 30 days for a flood policy to take effect. This is why you need to purchase flood insurance before flooding occurs. If your insurance agent is unable to write a flood policy, call 1-800-638-6620 for information.

Yes, The Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant Program provides an opportunity to take critical mitigation steps to reduce the loss of life and property when authorized under a Presidential major disaster declaration. If your property qualifies, FEMA may provide funds to assist in preventing future flooding. If you have questions about flood mitigation grant programs contact Emergency Preparedness and Response at (757) 441-5598. You may also want to discuss flood mitigation options with your flood insurance agent.

Drainage systems on private property are the owner's responsibility. Be sure to maintain your gutters and downspouts. It's also important to remove root blockages and fix damaged pipes on your property. Rake up leaves so they don't clog the storm drain in the street this includes the verge and curb line in front of your property. And remember "Only Rain Down the Storm Drain".

The city maintains more than 350 miles of storm water pipe, 27,000 catch basins, over 1,100 outfalls, over 49 miles of ditches, 13 storm water ponds as well as 11 pump stations and the flood wall system downtown. Norfolk also provides monthly street sweeping for every roadway with curb and gutters throughout the city. The Division of Storm Water Management repairs and cleans these structures as needed. When excessive rain causes flooding, the city responds to flooding complaints and cleans out clogged storm drains during the precipitation event.

For protection against shallow flood waters, the washer and dryer can sometimes be elevated on masonry or pressure-treated lumber at least 12" above the projected flood elevation. Other options are moving the washer and dryer to a higher floor, or building a floodwall around the appliances.

After storm events the city will temporary collection site and/or make exceptions for debris set-out. This information is specific to each storm event and will be posted on the city's Waste Management's website and sent to various media outlets for distribution. If you have questions about debris collection please contact, Waste Management at 757-664-6510.Waste Management

Vehicles are tagged for towing during sever storm events and towed after all weather threats have passed. If your vehicle was left in the right-of-way it will be towed by the city's Towing and Recovery Division. Please contact this department at 757-441-1062 to make arrangement to retrieve your vehicle. If your vehicle was left on private property, please contact them to locate and retrieve your vehicle.

Take extra steps to protect your health if the flood water contains sewage. Sewage contains germs that may cause stomach or intestinal infections if swallowed. Contact with sewage may also cause infections in cuts, scrapes and eyes.

To prevent infection you should:

Keep children, pets and people with compromised immune systems away until the area has been cleaned and disinfected.

Throw away any food (including packaged food) that was touched by flood water.

The phrase "100-year flood" has caused much confusion over the years. Many mistakenly believe that it is a flood that occurs every 100 years. However, the phrase really means a flood that has a 1- percent chance of occurring in any given year.

You may have to pay for the records that you request from the City. FOIA allows us to charge for the actual costs of responding to FOIA requests. This would include items like staff time spent searching for the requested records, copying costs, or any other costs directly related to supplying the requested records. It cannot include general overhead costs.

If we estimate that it will cost more than $200 to respond to your request, we may require you to pay a deposit, not to exceed the amount of the estimate, before proceeding with your request. The five days that we have to respond to your request does not include the time between when we ask for a deposit and when you respond.

You may request that we estimate in advance the charges for supplying the records that you have requested. This will allow you to know about any costs upfront, or give you the opportunity to modify your request in an attempt to lower the estimated costs.

If you owe us money from a previous FOIA request that has remained unpaid for more than 30 days, the City may require payment of the past-due bill before it will respond to your new FOIA request.

The City must respond to your request within five working days of receiving it. "Day One" is considered the day after your request is received. The five-day period does not include weekends or holidays.

FOIA requires that the City make one of the following responses to your request within the five-day time period:

1. We provide you with the records that you have requested in their entirety.

2. We withhold all of the records that you have requested, because all of the records are subject to a specific statutory exemption. If all of the records are being withheld, we must send you a response in writing. That writing must identify the volume and subject matter of the records being withheld, and state the specific section of the Code of Virginia that allows us to withhold the records.

3. We provide some of the records that you have requested, but withhold other records. We cannot withhold an entire record if only a portion of it is subject to an exemption. In that instance, we may redact the portion of the record that may be withheld, and must provide you with the remainder of the record. We must provide you with a written response stating the specific section of the Code of Virginia that allows portions of the requested records to be withheld.

4. We inform you in writing that the requested records cannot be found or do not exist (we do not have the records you want). However, if we know that another public body has the requested records, we must include contact information for the other public body in our response to you.

5. If it is practically impossible for the City to respond to your request within the five-day period, we must state this in writing, explaining the conditions that make the response impossible. This will allow us seven additional working days to respond to your request, giving us a total of 12 working days to respond to your request.

6. If you make a request for a very large number of records, and we feel that we cannot provide the records to you within 12 working days without disrupting our other organizational responsibilities, we may petition the court for additional time to respond to your request. However, FOIA requires that we make a reasonable effort to reach an agreement with you concerning the production or the records before we go to court to ask for more time.

The Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), located § 2.2-3700 et seq. of the Code of Virginia, guarantees citizens of the Commonwealth and representatives of the media access to public records held by public bodies, public officials, and public employees.

A public record is any writing or recording - regardless of whether it is a paper record, an electronic file, an audio or video recording, or any other format - that is prepared or owned by, or in the possession of a public body or its officers, employees or agents in the transaction of public business. All public records are presumed to be open, and may only be withheld if a specific, statutory exemption applies.

The policy of FOIA states that the purpose of FOIA is to promote an increased awareness by all persons of governmental activities. In furthering this policy, FOIA requires that the law be interpreted liberally, in favor of access, and that any exemption allowing public records to be withheld must be interpreted narrowly.

You may request records by U.S. Mail, fax, e-mail, in person, or over the phone. FOIA does not require that your request be in writing, nor do you need to specifically state that you are requesting records under FOIA.

Online forms are available in the Request Tracker. There are two forms, depending on what records you are seeking. You can either fill out the form and submit it online or to download the general FOIA form or the public safety FOIA form and fax, mail or deliver.

From a practical perspective, it may be helpful to both you and the person receiving your request to put your request in writing. This allows you to create a record of your request. It also gives us a clear statement of what records you are requesting, so that there is no misunderstanding over a verbal request. However, we cannot refuse to respond to your FOIA request if you elect to not put it in writing.

1. Your request must identify the records you are seeking with "reasonable specificity." This is a common-sense standard. It does not refer to or limit the volume or number of records that you are requesting; instead, it requires that you be specific enough so that we can identify and locate the records that you are seeking.

2. Your request must ask for existing records or documents. FOIA gives you a right to inspect or copy records; it does not apply to a situation where you are asking general questions about the work of the City or any department, nor does it require the City to create a record that does not exist.

3. You may choose to receive electronic records in any format used by the City in the regular course of business. For example, if you are requesting records maintained in an Excel database, you may elect to receive those records electronically, via e-mail or on a computer disk, or to receive a printed copy of those records

If we have questions about your request, please cooperate with staff's efforts to clarify the type of records that you are seeking, or to attempt to reach a reasonable agreement about a response to a large request. Making a FOIA request is not an adversarial process, but we may need to discuss your request with you to ensure that we understand what records you are seeking.

You may also mail or email your request for records from the city. Direct your request to Michelle Washington at foiarequest@norfolk.gov. 810 Union StreetRoom 409Norfolk, VA 23510FOIA Request Site

The reason behind your request for public records from the City is irrelevant, and you do not have to state why you want the records before we respond to your request. FOIA does, however, allow the City to ask you to provide your name and legal address.

Agencies are under no obligation to extend benefits of FOIA to requests to individuals and media bodies residing outside of Virginia.

Geographic Information Systems

Geographic information system (GIS) is a system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present all types of geographical data. The acronym GIS is sometimes used for geographical information science or geospatial information studies to refer to the academic discipline or career of working with geographic information systems.[1] In the simplest terms, GIS is the merging of cartography, statistical analysis, and database technology.

A GIS can be thought of as a system—it digitally creates and "manipulates" spatial areas that may be jurisdictional, purpose, or application-oriented. Generally, a GIS is custom-designed for an organization. Hence, a GIS developed for an application, jurisdiction, enterprise, or purpose may not be necessarily interoperable or compatible with a GIS that has been developed for some other application, jurisdiction, enterprise, or purpose. What goes beyond a GIS is a spatial data infrastructure, a concept that has no such restrictive boundaries.

In a general sense, the term describes any information system that integrates, stores, edits, analyzes, shares, and displays geographic information for informing decision making. GIS applications are tools that allow users to create interactive queries (user-created searches), analyze spatial information, edit data in maps, and present the results of all these operations.[2] Geographic information science is the science underlying geographic concepts, applications, and systems.[3]

It is estimated that approximately 80% of all information has a "spatial" or geographic component. In other words, most information is tied to a place. So when making decisions about siting new facilities, creating hiking trails, protecting wetlands, directing emergency response vehicles, designating historic neighborhoods or redrawing legislative districts, geography plays a significant role.

This is where GIS comes in. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology is a computer-based data collection, storage, and analysis tool that combines previously unrelated information into easily understood maps. But GIS is much more than maps. A GIS can perform complicated analytical functions and then present the results visually as maps, tables or graphs, allowing decision-makers to virtually see the issues before them and then select the best course of action.

Add the Internet, and GIS offers a consistent and cost-effective means for the sharing and analysis of geographic data among government agencies, private industry, non-profit organizations, and the general public.

GIS Lounge is an information portal primarily relating to the field of geographic information systems. The purpose of this site is to provide introductory text for issues relating to GIS as well as interesting news items, tips, and resources for the geospatial field. http://www.gislounge.com/

Healthy Norfolk

5k is 5,000 metres, or 3.1 miles. It takes most people between 25 and 45 minutes to run. A car or bus travelling at 30mph would travel 5k in 6 minutes 15 seconds (yes - both would be cheating). Some more fun ways to think of your 5k run are that you’ll be running the equivalent of the length of (about)…

Unfortunately not - but the good news is - most people can! Whether you have never run before, or haven’t run for a while but want to get back into it, Desk to 5k might well be the perfect place to start. However, everybody (and every body!) is different. As the plan contains generic advice, you would always be better off getting advice and training plans from your doctor or exercise professional. If this is something you are interested in, we can help - just contact Norfolk Fitness and Wellness Center for information on group and personal training sessions.

Before starting Desk to 5k make sure you have had a health check with your GP and that they are happy for you to start the plan. It is intended as a challenge but within sensible parameters, and as generic advice the Desk to 5k is limited in the situations and people it can cover.

The plan is 6 weeks long and includes 3 runs each week, starting with lots of walking breaks to get your body used to moving more. ‘Runs’ include sections of walking and gentle running, with faster running included as the plan progresses. Where runs include sections of walking or different speeds of running, the Desk to 5k plan also gives the total time each run will take. Moving at different speeds allows your body to get used to running gradually. Activity levels need to be increased steadily to avoid injury and allow the body to adapt to the training you are doing.

A ‘walk’ is a brisk walk, keeping your breathing under control

A ‘gentle run’ is anything more than a walk, which may involve being out of breath.

A ‘faster run’ is faster than a gentle run, which is likely to leave you out of breath and feeling like you are working hard.

Yes – warming up and cooling down are important to get your body ready to exercise and to help you recover properly. Before each run, spend at least 3 minutes warming up and at the end of each run spend at least 3 minutes cooling down. If you do not feel warm at the end of 3 minutes, repeat the warm up until you do. In the first few weeks of Desk to 5k your warm up can be a brisk walk. Once you have been running for a few weeks you can replace this with a gentle run. Do the same for a cool down to bring your heart rate down gently and help your body begin recovering. As your warm up might vary depending on how you are feeling the timings in Desk to 5k do not include warm up or cool down time, but both should be factored in to all your runs.

Desk to 5k is different from other 5k plans, because it includes non-running elements which work together to improve your running. On non-running days you will either be stretching or doing your weekly ‘strength for running’. Guidance for both is included in the Desk to 5k plan. Working on strength and stretching will support your running and minimize risk of injury, as well as helping you feel fitter in everyday life, climbing stairs or walking the dog.

For running, ‘strength for running’ and stretching you should wear comfortable clothing that you can move in. Remember you will get warmer during runs – layers are great for making sure you don’t get too hot or cold. Although shopping for running clothing and accessories can be fun, you really don’t need anything technical to get started, other than a pair of running trainers, and perhaps a sports bra, which offers more support than a normal bra.

Good running technique will mean you avoid injury and your body adapts more easily to running and Desk to 5k. Stay relaxed, look straight ahead of you and relax your shoulders and hands. Breathe deeply through your mouth or nose. Breathing in time with your steps can help with this – aim for 1 breath to every 2 steps you take. Swing your arms forward and backwards, not across your body, and lean slightly forward when you are running. There is lots of debate about which part of your foot you should land on. Aim to land on the mid point of the bottom of your foot with short light steps.

Desk to 5k is designed to get you outside and enjoying the fresh air. Stick to well lit and populated areas where you can be seen clearly. Watch out for any traffic or trip hazards and always take your mobile with you. A lot of people listen to music while running, but make sure you stay aware of your surroundings to stay safe.

If you would like specific routs check out the Norfolk Running Routes page for ideas.

Try not to miss any runs, ‘strength for running’ or stretching days. All elements of the Desk to 5k work together for your body and mind to adapt to the training. If you do need to miss a session, do your best to avoid missing 2 in a row. If you do miss 2 in a row, repeat that week of the plan. This will add a week to the total length of the Desk to 5k but will make sure you stay on track. Desk to 5k is carefully planned to include a sensible amount of activity and rest, so days shouldn't be swapped around. If you miss a session don't be tempted to try and catch up with yourself - just repeat a week.

With any exercise, injuries can and will happen. Don’t run through pain or illness – respect how your body feels. You should see a GP for a health check before you start Desk to 5k and if you have any concerns at all during the plan, see your GP to get the all clear before continuing Desk to 5k, for example if you feel pain or are ill. Your body can handle a lot, and will get stronger throughout the Desk to 5k, but there may be times when you need to think about what else is going on in your life that your body is managing. Repeating a week of Desk to 5k is much better than getting injured and will help you stay motivated to reach your goal.

Your body will need energy to run but a large meal or drinking a lot of liquid before you run, or before ‘strength for running’ might not be helpful. Digesting food draws blood away from your muscles to your digestive system, and a lot of liquid can make running uncomfortable. Make sure you drink enough during the day (1-2 litres – water is best) and avoid eating a big meal less than 2 hours before a run or ‘strength for running’. If you are thirsty while running, take a bottle of water with you. Drink small amounts to stay hydrated. As long as you have taken in a sensible amount of water throughout the day you should not need to drink while running, although some people prefer to have water with them.

Rest is an important part of Desk to 5k. The rest days are the days when your body repairs itself and adapts to the training. Desk to 5k is planned carefully to give you all you need to go from your desk to running 5k in 8 weeks. If you enjoy going to other exercise classes such as zumba or like to go swimming, there is no reason you should stop these types of exercise. Keep the total amount of training in mind though, to make sure you are not overdoing it and giving your body too much to deal with.

Contact us at HealthyNorfolk@norfolk.gov. We would love to hear what has worked for you. Healthy Norfolk success stories feature people who have made meaningful lifestyle changes toward better health and well-being. Do you have a story to tell?

HR - Disability Management & Workers Comp - Long Term Disability

If you are not certain that you need LTD coverage, consider if you will be able tomeet your financial obligations if you become disabled and unable to work for anextended period of time. The risk of disability may be greater than you think. Recentstatistics have shown:

• A disabling injury occurs every 1.3 seconds - on and off the job. That's over 63,000every day, more than 23 million every year. (Source: National Safety Council, 2005-2006 Injury Facts)

• Three in 10 workers entering the workforce today will become disabled beforeretiring. (Source: Social Security Administration, Fact Sheet 2007)

• Over 6.8 million workers are receiving Social Security disability benefits; almost halfare under age 50. (Source: Social Security Administration, Fact Sheet 2007)

To help determine your need for disability income protection, complete the worksheetbelow. Fill in amounts for your monthly expenses and income and compare the two.If you depend on your regular paycheck to pay your bills, what will happen if youbecome sick and unable to work? Are you prepared for the unexpected? VoluntaryLTD insurance from The Standard may be part of the solution.

The effective date of the Voluntary LTD coverage is dependent upon a minimumnumber of eligible employees in your company applying and qualifying for it. Youremployer and The Standard have agreed upon this required level of participation. If itis not met, the Voluntary LTD coverage will not become effective. We encourage youto consider this opportunity to apply for the Voluntary LTD coverage.

If the minimum participation requirement is met and the Voluntary LTD coveragegoes into effect, then the effective date of your coverage depends on when youbecome an eligible member, when you apply and whether you are required to provideevidence of insurability.

If you are not required to provide evidence of insurability, if you apply and agree topay premiums, your Voluntary LTD coverage becomes effective on:

• The date you become eligible if you apply on or before that date or

• The date you apply if you apply within 31 days after you become eligible

If you are required to provide evidence of insurability, if you apply and agree topay premiums, your Voluntary LTD coverage becomes effective on the date TheStandard approves your evidence of insurability. In every case, you must meet the activework requirement before your insurance becomes effective.

Active work means performing with reasonable continuity, the material duties of yourown occupation at your employer’s usual place of business. You must be capable ofactive work on the day before the scheduled effective date of your insurance or yourinsurance will not become effective as scheduled. If you are not actively at work onthe day before the scheduled effective date of insurance, your insurance will notbecome effective until the day after you complete one full day of active work as aneligible employee.

If you apply for Voluntary LTD insurance within 31 days of becoming eligibleto apply and meet the active work requirement, you will automatically qualify toinsure pre-disability earnings of $14,925. This means that you will not have to submitsatisfactory evidence of insurability to purchase coverage up to this amount.

If you apply more than 31 days after becoming eligible to apply , satisfactory evidenceof insurability is required. You will need to complete and submit a Medical HistoryStatement. In some cases, we may request additional medical information or aphysical exam.

Evidence of insurability is also required for reinstatement of terminated coverage andfor members eligible but not insured under your company’s prior LTD insuranceplan, if any.

If you become disabled and your claim for LTD benefits is approved by The Standard,LTD benefits become payable after you have been continuously disabled for the laterof 90 days or benefits under a short term disability insurance plan sponsored byyour Employer or a salary continuation, if you are eligible and remain continuouslydisabled. LTD benefits are not payable during this benefit waiting period.

During the benefit waiting period and the own occupation period, you are considereddisabled if, as a result of physical disease, injury, pregnancy or mental disorder:

• You are unable to perform with reasonable continuity the material duties of yourown occupation, and

• You suffer a loss of at least 20 percent of your indexed pre-disability earnings whenworking in your own occupation.

The own occupation period for the Voluntary LTD coverage is the first 24 months forwhich LTD benefits are paid. You are not disabled merely because your right to performyour own occupation is restricted, including a restriction or loss of license. You maywork in another occupation while you are disabled from your own occupation, however,you will not be considered disabled when your work earnings from another occupationexceed 80 percent of your indexed pre-disability earnings.

After the own occupation period, you are considered disabled if, as a result of physicaldisease, injury, pregnancy or mental disorder, you are unable to perform with reasonablecontinuity the material duties of any occupation that you are able to perform, whetherdue to education, training or experience:

• Which is available at one or more locations in the national economy, and

• In which you can be expected to earn at least 60 percent of your indexed pre-disabilityearnings within 12 months following your return to work, regardless of whether youare working in that or any other occupation.

The LTD benefit amount is determined by multiplying your insured pre-disability earningsby the specified benefit percentage. This amount is then reduced by other incomeyou receive or are eligible to receive while LTD benefits are payable. This other incomeis referred to as deductible income.

In the example below, the LTD benefit amount is 67 percent of insured pre-disabilityearnings. If your monthly earnings (or pre-disability earnings) before becoming disabledwere $2,000 and you now receive a monthly Social Security disability benefit of $600and a monthly state disability benefit of $200, your monthly LTD benefit would becalculated as follows:

Pre-disability earnings generally exclude commissions, bonuses, overtime pay, youremployer’s contribution to a deferred compensation arrangement or pension planor any other extra compensation. They are based on your earnings in effect on thelast full day of active work. Please contact your human resources representative foradditional information regarding what is included in pre-disability earnings.

If you become disabled before age 62, LTD benefits may continue during disability untilyou reach age 65. If you become disabled at age 62 or older, the benefit duration isdetermined by your age when disability begins as indicated in the table below.

• It covers disabilities that occur 24 hours a day, both on and off the job.

• If premium payments are made with “after-tax” dollars, LTD benefits are federally tax freeunder current federal tax law.

• If your employer makes an approved work-site modification that enables you toreturn to work while disabled, The Standard will reimburse your employer up to apreapproved amount for some or all of the cost of the modification.

• While LTD benefits are payable, you may qualify to participate in a rehabilitation planthat prepares you to return to work. If you qualify, The Standard may pay for returnto work expenses you incur, such as job search, training and education and familycare expenses.

• If you die while LTD benefits are payable, and on the date you die you have beencontinuously disabled for at least 180 days, a survivors benefit equal to three timesyour unreduced LTD benefit may be payable. Any survivors benefit payable will first beapplied to any over payment of your claim due to The Standard.

• If the group policy terminates, LTD benefits will continue as long as you are eligible toreceive them.

You are not covered for a disability caused or contributed to by any of the following:

• Your committing or attempting to commit an assault or felony, or your activeparticipation in a violent disorder or riot

• War or any act of war (declared or undeclared, and any substantial armed conflictbetween organized forces of a military nature)

• The loss of your professional or occupational license or certification

• A preexisting condition or the medical or surgical treatment of a preexisting conditionunless on the date you become disabled, you have been continuously insured underthe group policy for the 12-month exclusion period and actively at work for at least onefull day after the end of the exclusion period

A preexisting condition is a mental or physical condition, whether or not diagnosed ormisdiagnosed:

• Which was discovered or suspected as a result of any routine or other medicalexamination at any time during the preexisting condition period or

• For which you have (or a reasonably prudent person would have) consulted aphysician or other licensed medical professional, received medical treatment,services or advice, undergone diagnostic procedures, including self administeredprocedures, or taken prescribed drugs or medications at any time during thepreexisting condition period.

The preexisting condition period is the 90-day period just before your Voluntary LTDinsurance becomes effective.

• Not under the ongoing care of a physician in the appropriate specialty asdetermined by The Standard

• Not participating in good faith in a plan, program or course of medical treatmentor vocational training or education approved by The Standard, unless your disabilityprevents you from participating

• Confined for any reason in a penal or correctional institution

• Able to work and earn at least 20 percent of your indexed pre-disability earnings, butyou elect not to work; during the own occupation period, the responsibility to work islimited to work in your own occupation; thereafter, the responsibility to work includeswork in any occupationIn addition, payment of LTD benefits is limited in duration:

• To 12 months if you reside outside the United States or Canada

• To 24 months in your lifetime if your disability is caused or contributed to bymental disorders, substance abuse or other limited conditions, including but not limited tochronic fatigue conditions, allergy or sensitivity to chemicals or the environment,chronic pain conditions, carpal tunnel or repetitive motion syndrome,temporomandibular joint disorder or craniomandibular joint disorder

To apply for Voluntary LTD insurance, complete the Enrollment Form in yourenrollment packet, place it in a confidential envelope and submit it to yourhuman resources department. You can apply at any time, but remember if youapply more than 31 days after becoming eligible, satisfactory evidence of insurabilityis required. Coverage subject to evidence of insurability is not effective untilapproved by The Standard.

HR - Disability Management & Workers Compensation

The first notification that Sedgwick (the city’s carrier) has that you are hurt is the first report of accident. Until your department completes and sends the report, no claims adjuster is assigned to your file to authorize treatment.

Be sure you contact your claims adjuster to update her on the proposed treatment plan. She will intervene with the physician’s office to guide them to the city’s vendors for the appropriate tests, therapy centers, etc., so that you are not responsible for payment.

Eligible employees who participate and complete the program requirements will beeligible to receive incentive dollars on a healthcare debit card. Spouses anddependents are also encouraged to participate in these programs, however, onlyeligible employees can earn incentive payments.

If an employee has any of the conditions included in the program, they shouldcontact the Optima Health Care Coordination Line at (757) 687-6340, or toll free at(877) 817-3037. It is the responsibility of the employee to reach out to OptimaHealth and enroll in the program in order to meet the requirements for the incentive.

Your employer will not have any access to your personal or participation informationfrom the MyLife MyPlan Rewards Program. This is offered as a service of OptimaHealth, and all information will be kept confidential.

If you are currently enrolled in the Optima Health Diabetes Management program,please call the Optima Health Care Coordination Line listed on the back of yourmember ID card or toll free at (877) 817-3037. You may also send an email tomylifemyplanrewards@sentara.com in order to confirm that you wish to enroll in theRewards Diabetes program.

Spouses and dependents are eligible to participate in the disease management andPartners in Pregnancy programs to improve their management of these conditions.However, only eligible employees can earn the incentive payments.

The first thing to do is to make contact with the Optima Health program staff throughthe Care Coordination telephone numbers, listed on the back of your member IDcard. Tell them that you have one of the eligible conditions, and would like toparticipate in the program. They will assess your condition to determine how oftenyou need to have contact with your program Health Coach. You will need to havecontact with your Coach either by telephone or by email according to the scheduleexplained to you by your Health Coach.

In addition to the contacts with your Health Coach, there are other requirements thatmust be met to achieve the incentive. Your Health Coach will give you all of theprogram details, however some of the requirements follow:

Respiratory Disease Management:

1. Physician follow up for asthma or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease(COPD) at least once a year.

Contacts with your Health Coach do not replace your doctor visits. We want toprovide encouragement and incentives for you to follow your own doctor’s treatmentplan, which may include; scheduled follow-up visits, medication schedule, lab andother testing, nutrition, and activity advice. We are here to support you, not replaceyour physician.

You must be actively employed by one of the entities of Norfolk, and covered byOptima Health Insurance as a primary subscriber at the time of payment. You mustprovide or verify your Social Security Number as a way for Optima Health to confirmyour incentive payment into a healthcare debit card.

If you have multiple conditions, you may enroll in the disease management programfor each condition. Your Health Coach will help you with any and all disease-statesthat you have, however, you can only earn incentives for one disease managementprogram.

If you are, or become, pregnant during this program, you may be eligible to receiveincentives for both the disease management program you are enrolled in and thePartners in Pregnancy Program.

If you have a flexible spending account, this program does not replace your FSA butrather the incentives that you earn will supplement your FSA. Incentive dollarsearned may be used towards Copayments, Coinsurance, and Deductibles, ifapplicable, for covered prescriptions, services, and condition related medicalsupplies. Your FSA allows you to use pre-tax dollars towards payment on a muchlarger variety of supplies and services.

HR - EW&P - Wellness @ Work

A Wellness Champion is an employee who works with the City Wellness Coordinator to plan, promote and implement a variety of wellness programs at their work place for all employees of their bureau or division.

Any employee who has a genuine interest in wellness, is actively working at living a healthy lifestyle, enjoys working and contributing to a team effort, is well respected, is a risk taker willing to try something new, and desires to promote healthy living and a balanced lifestyle to fellow employees.

Communicate effectively and work with division management to establish wellness programs, can motivate fellow employees to participate in wellness programs, and is willing to take on the leadership responsibilities required for the success of the wellness program at their worksite.

Being a Wellness Champion is easy and only takes a few hours a month. Wellness Champions meet with the City Wellness Coordinator once per year to develop an annual wellness plan for their worksite and attend one annual meeting per year with all City Wellness Champions to share ideas and celebrate successes.

Other duties include working with their division management to schedule, arrange, coordinate, and plan wellness programs at their worksite, distribute information about city-wide wellness programs to employees, and maintain a wellness poster series and brochure rack at their worksite provided by the City Wellness Coordinator.

• a city of Norfolk resident• Submit an application• Consent to a Home and Fire Inspection• Participate in Criminal Background check• Participate in a Child Protective Services/Adult Protective Services Background check• Provide Personal References• Complete a TB test Learn More

Homeless Action and Response Team (HART) serves as a single point of contact for homeless families and individuals in Norfolk who are seeking time limited services. The HART Team is comprised of Human Services professionals whose mission is to develop processes, community partnerships, and strategies to help end homelessness in the City of Norfolk. more...

Any adult with legal custody of minor children in the City of Norfolk who is or is about to become homeless. Any adult in the City of Norfolk who is or is about to become homeless. Any services provider working with a family in the City of Norfolk who is or is about to become homeless. more...

Human Services - Real Estate Tax Relief Program

The Virginia General Assembly adopted legislation, effective January 1, 2011, that allows 100% service-connected disabled veterans of the armed forces to apply for real estate tax exemption on their primary residence.

In order to apply, the veteran must provide the following:

Completed and signed Disabled Veteran application

Copy of military photo identification

Copy of proof of residency occupancy, such as a driver's license, utility bill or bank statement

The approved and original letter of disability from the Department of Veterans Affairs

Certification is required from the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Railroad Retirement Board, or the Social Security Administration. If an applicant is not eligible for certification by any of these agencies, there must be sworn affidavits by two (2) medical doctors licensed to practice medicine in Virginia. One of these affidavits must be based on a physical exam.more...

Available funding is determined annually. In the event the total amount of all approved tax relief applications exceeds this amount, each approved application could have a pro rata reduction as may be necessary to balance the total tax relief appropriation. Proration is applied to all tax deferrals. The calculation of relief provided will be made after the program ends.more...

Exemption means exempt taxes will not be billed or owed later. Qualifying participants with income of $28,611 or less per year may receive a tax exemption of 100%, but only up to average assessed value of $203,386. If the assessed value exceeds the average, the homeowner may elect to be billed or defer any remaining taxes in the excess average value.

Deferral means taxes will be paid to the city upon the sale of the dwelling or from the estate of the decedent. more...

Applicant is responsible to meet any requirements imposed as part of any Promissory note or Deed of Trust. It is the applicant's responsibility to confirm that any deferment granted will be recognized by the applicant's mortgage lender prior to submitting the application. Failure of a mortgage lender to recognize the City of Norfolk Tax Deferral program is a matter solely between the applicant and the mortgage lender.more...

No. If there is a mortgage on the property, you are still eligible to apply.Is the information I provide kept confidential? All information is strictly confidential and not open to public inspection.more...

A new application must be filed each year. Beginning February 1st, choose from one of the following options to obtain an application: - Download and print an application from the Department of Human Services website - Request an application to be mailed to you by calling call 757-823-1130 or 757-664-6035 - Send a request by email to seniortaxrelief@norfolk.gov - Pick up an application at one of the following Department of Human Services locations:

You may submit a completed application between March 1st and June 1st in one of the following ways:Fax to 757-664-7535Hand deliver or drop off at Park Place Multi-Service Center, 606 W. 29th Street, Norfolk, VA 23508Mail to: Workforce Development Center, Dept. of Human Services, 201 E. Little Creek Rd, Norfolk, VA 23505 (must be postmarked by June 1st)

Norfolk Neighborhood Expo

Civic Opportunity and Outstanding Leadership (COOL) recognize neighborhood unity, communication, interaction and cooperation and highlight the importance of neighborhood programs, events and projects in enhancing the quality of life of residents. Award categories are: Best small neighborhood business, Best youth participant; Healthy neighborhood; Most prepared neighborhood, and Best overall neighborhood.

Residents asked us to. Both events are designed to build relationships between neighbors, between residents and city and school officials, between residents and teachers. Parent University will take place across the street from the expo, at Richard Bowling Elementary School.

Parking

The City of Norfolk’s Parking Division is an enterprise fund, which falls under the Department of General Services. The Parking Division operates over 19,000 public parking spaces located in 15 garages, nine lots and more than 500 on-street spaces.

Safe, convenient and affordable parking is always available. The Division of Parking, through the efforts of all employees dedicated to excellence, shall provide safe, convenient and affordable parking services to the citizens, visitors and businesses in Norfolk.

The city uses many methods of financing the services it delivers to Norfolk citizens. Some services, such as police and fire, are supported by citizens through taxes paid to the general fund. Other services are financially supported by the users. Parking is one of those services supported exclusively by drivers using garages, surface lots and shuttles. Since this operation is self-supporting, adequate fees must be collected to cover the operating, maintenance and capital costs incurred by the parking system.

Many venues in the city are host to special events throughout the year. In order to accommodate convenient exiting from parking facilities at special events, the Parking Division puts into place a collect-on-entry operation.

The collect-on-entry rates are:

All facilities collect-on-entry, special event rate -- $5.00 per vehicle*

In connection with the operation of its attendant-operated facilities, the Division of Parking has established the Discount Stamp Program. Merchants / businesses may purchase discount stamps in booklets at a 50% discount of their face value for their patrons to use when exiting an attendant-operated facility in order to defray - in whole or in part - parking charges for up to four hours. This program is a successful example of public / private cooperation.

Security is provided by uniformed Norfolk police officers and on-site Parking Division staff. Several automated security systems are also used to monitor our facilities. The result is safe, convenient, and worry-free parking.

However, any time you leave your car unattended, you are cautioned to lock your car and keep all valuables out of sight.

Yes. Disabled parkers with valid handicap license plates and / or hanging tags may park free at any on-street metered space for the posted time (2 hours at most downtown meters, except Waterside, which is 15 minutes). Or, disabled parkers may park in off-street parking garages and lots for an unlimited time when paying posted hourly rates.

No. There are a number of privately owned and operated garages and surface lots in the downtown. These private facilities provide approximately 5,000 of the 23,000 spaces currently available in downtown.

With the exception of the parking meters in front of Waterside, metered spaces are all 2-hour duration and are in effect and enforceable from 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

The metered spaces in front of Waterside have a 15-minute duration and are enforced from 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m., Monday through Sunday.

Metered Parking is free after 6 p.m. Monday through Saturdays and all day on Sundays.

As stated in Section 25.1-125 Enforcement of the City Code, enforcement shall not apply on Sundays, state election days, federal legal holidays or state legal holidays.

However City Council may, by resolution, waive these provisions, with respect to any or all designated streets, zones or public areas of the City, for such period of time as may be set forth in the resolution. Where the provisions are waived, signs or notices advising the public of such waiver shall be conspicuously posted for the streets, zones or area so affected.

The Division of Parking realizes the need to close meters for construction-related projects or special events at various locations throughout downtown. As a result, the Division of Parking has developed the Parking Meter Permit Program which offers several different types of meter permits, depending on the event and the length of time the permit is needed. This permit is designed to make legal parking more convenient by having the parker pre-pay the meter fee in return for a permit that is to be displayed on the dashboard of the vehicle.

Parking meter permits are issued on a first come, first serve basis and may be renewed weekly with a new application. Financial districts, as approved by Norfolk city ordinance, determine meter rates. Permits are not available on Sundays, federal, state and local holidays, or after 6 p.m. Monday – Saturday. Posted hours of operation are the enforcement hours for parking meters.

For additional information, contact the Parking Division at 757-664-6222.

Parking - Merchant Discount Validation Program

The Division of Parking’s discount program is a wonderful “reward” for your valued clientele and patrons. The DVP allows businesses located within the Central Business District (CBD) to defray the cost of parking in attendant operated facilities for customers of those businesses. Due to contractual obligations, the MacArthur Center Garages are not included in this program.

As an inexpensive "thank you" to patrons who support your business and are vital to your continued success, Discount Validation is ideal. Perhaps, you would like to reward your faithful customers by discounting their parking fee. Or, during special times of the year (e.g., Christmas), as a gift for patrons.

Discount validation tickets are purchased through the Division of Parking’s Customer Service Center located at 222 E. Main Street, Norfolk, Virginia 23510. Orders may be placed in person or ordered online. Allow a minimum of one business day for order printing and processing. Payment is made at the Parking Customer Service Center when discount validation tickets are retrieved. For more information, please call 757-664-6222.

Parking - Meter ParkCards

Parking meter permits are issued on a first come, first serve basis and may be renewed weekly with a new application. pre-paid debit-type card that can be used as payment for meters, instead of coins. The Meter ParkCard is a convenient means of payment for frequent downtown, metered parking patrons, whose visit is less than two hours.

Meter ParkCards can be used at all City of Norfolk meters, including meters located in Downtown Norfolk, and at the Old Dominion University Village. ParkCards are not for use at parking facilities, including garages and lots.

Passport does not own, manage or enforce parking facilities. We don’t issue citations and we can’t overturn them for you. Don’t worry though, you can find your receipt online from your Account Management page at www.ppprk.com/park. Follow the instructions on the citation to begin your appeal or call PassportParking Helpdesk for information on contacting the owner/operator.

If the fine is not paid within 30 days after the ticket was issued, a late penalty of $50 and an Administrative Fee of $20 will be added. See the fee schedule for additional information. The following actions may result as well:

If the registered owner of a vehicle has three (3) unpaid parking tickets for any violation, the vehicle is subject to tow. In order for a registered owner to recover a towed vehicle, all parking fees and fines owed, as well as all towing and storage fees incurred will have to be paid in full.

Cash, credit cards and money orders ONLY are accepted for payment of balances related to DMV holds, returned checks and towed vehicles.

Planning - Building Safety

A building permit is required for any residential or commercial repair (alteration), addition, or new construction that requires new framing or exposes existing framing. This includes, but is not limited to the following:

Building permits are not required for 1 and 2 family residential re-roofs, replacement windows of the same size, vinyl or shake siding, cabinets, floor coverings, minor repair to decks including but not limited to deck board repair and tread repair, driveways, water tanks supported on grade at 5,000 gallons or less, retaining walls supporting less than 2 feet of unbalanced fill, and above ground swimming pools less than 2 feet deep.

Certain documentation is required to apply for a building permit. A complete application will include the application form and two copies of floor plans drawn to scale. In most cases (i.e. building an addition or detached structure), two copies of the land survey with a detailed description of the future work is also required.

As a property owner, tenant, or contractor, you may apply for a building permit.

If a contractor is performing work on your property, it is highly recommended that they obtain the permit and be listed as the responsible party. A property owner may choose to perform the work and obtain a permit themselves; but will also need to submit an affidavit accepting responsibility for all work performed under the permit.

Class A, B, or C contractors licensed in the state of Virginia may only obtain permits within their respective trade. Persons holding a master’s license in the state of Virginia may only obtain permits for projects within their trade not to exceed $1,000 in scope.

Residential plan review takes approximately 5 business days to complete for any new construction. Plan review for additions and renovations can be reviewed at the counter immediately (except when further approvals are needed from other offices such as Environmental Services and/or Zoning).

The following are required to obtain approval: two copies of a site plan or land survey showing the proposed location of the tent (drawn-in), two copies of the certificate of flame resistance, two copies of tent specifications as applicable, and two copies of the tent layout (if seating, stage, or display areas proposed). If the tent or combined area covered is greater than 900 square feet, a building permit application is also required.

The following are required to obtain approval: two copies of the land survey, two copies of the Permit and/or Approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), two copies of the Approval Letter from Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC), two copies of the City of Norfolk Wetlands Board Approval with signatures, and a completed Building Permit Application.

A zoning certificate is required for any storage shed 256 square feet or less and any fences located on a corner lot. Please bring two copies of the land survey with you in order to obtain the Zoning Certificate.

Please note that if the shed is greater than 256 square feet or if the fence is taller than 6 feet, a building permit is required.

In addition, all fences located within a historic district are required to receive a Certificate of Appropriateness by going through the Architectural Review process.

A zoning certificate is a document that allows the construction of structures that do not require a permit as per the building code. This includes fences on corner lots, accessory structures (sheds, garages, etc.) less than 256 square feet, and any other zoning approvals as determined by the Zoning Administrator.

Setbacks depend on the zoning of the parcel in question. Typically, for principal structures, there is a 25 foot front yard setback, 5 foot or 10 foot side yard setback, and 25 foot rear yard setback. For corner lots, there is a 10 or 25 foot corner side yard setback. Accessory structures have different setbacks then principal structures. Many times these setbacks will be altered by overlay districts.

Please contact the Department of Planning at 757-664-4752 to verify setbacks for a specific property and structure.

The location of the fence depends on several factors including the zoning district that you reside and the exact delineation of your property line.

In general:

•A fence located in the front yard that is considered 50% open (i.e. chain link, wrought iron, picket, etc.) may be up to 4 feet tall. •In the side yards, you may place up to a 6 foot solid fence, unless your property is on a corner lot. If you are on a corner, the fence adjacent to the road may be up to 6 feet, but it must be 50% open (i.e. chain link, wrought iron, picket, etc.)

Graphics to illustrate these requirements can be found here. For further clarification, please contact the Department of Planning at 757-664-4752.

A Certificate of Occupancy will automatically be produced for new construction and/or a “Change-in-Use” 48 hours after an approved final inspection, as long as other required City approvals (such as Driveways) are obtained. A Certificate of Occupancy is not necessary for a residential addition or alteration. A Certificate of Occupancy (Existing) is required for a “Group Home”, Occupant Load change, or a daycare in a church.

In order to get copies of our historical records, the applicant must submit a completed “Freedom of Information Act” (FOIA) Request for Public Records form with as much detail as possible for review by the Planning Department’s Records Manager and the City Attorney’s Office.

Inspections can be requested using the online portal with a computer or smart device at Inspections . Additionally, a computer kiosk, located in the City Hall lobby, is available for the purpose of scheduling inspections.

No, the police will not evict someone from your residence. Evicting someone from your home is a civil issue and Norfolk police has extremely limited power reference civil issues. You need to call Norfolk General District Civil Courts at 757-664-4913 or 757-664-4914. The civil courts are located in the Public Safety Building (811E. City Hall Ave). This is the same building that houses the jail and Traffic / Criminal court.

The Norfolk Police Department maintains the website where photographs and information of wanted people are displayed. You can use the Wanted Persons webpage to search for wanted persons using the Warrant Inquiry system. When you arrive at the site, simply click on the letter that corresponds with the suspected wanted person’s last name.

Property and Evidence is located at 811 E. City Hall Ave Norfolk, VA 23510. This is the same building that houses the City Jail and General District Court. After entering the main entrance, turn right then take the next right. Property and Evidence is located at the end of the hall. Bring a valid picture identification card.

Police - Crime Prevention

A representative from the Crime Prevention Unit will visit your civic league or neighborhood association to help you get started. We suggest that you discuss this idea with your members first to find out how many will be willing to participate in the process. Three major roles need to be filled in order for Neighborhood Watch to function properly: one Coordinator, several Block Captains, and numerous “Watchers.”

Individuals residing in the City of Norfolk may register and obtain a Bike Registration Decal by taking the bicycle to one of the locations listed below during normal business hours and completing the required registration application. Once obtained the decal must be affixed to the bicycle as set forth in City Code Section 25-380.

The bicycle being registered must be present in order for Officer to verify the Serial Number.

We are unable to post the registration form as they are serialized to match the decal that the citizens receive when they register.

You’re referring to a Home Security Survey. There is no cost for this service, nor for the Business Security Survey, which is conducted the same way. We will arrange a time that is mutually convenient for you and the inspecting officer. Call the Crime Prevention Unit at 757-664-6901 to make arrangements.

McGruff the Crime Dog can appear at community events as long as requirements in the Borrower’s Responsibilities Form are met. Officers, however, do not perform the role of McGruff. A member of your organization can wear the McGruff costume for your event, as long as it takes place within the City of Norfolk. The wearer of the costume must behave in a friendly, appropriate manner and may not use tobacco, alcohol or illegal drugs while the costume is worn.

Your organization is required to have the trench coat and trousers dry cleaned prior to returning the costume to the Crime Prevention Unit (accompanied by receipt from dry cleaners).

Yes, we have a list of holiday safety tips available on our website, along with a number of Crime Prevention handouts. See the brochures listed under Crime Prevention Unit. Feel free to duplicate and distribute.

Larceny from a building or a secured building where an insider took property and not the result of a burglary. (total property value can not excess $500.00)

Larceny from vending/coin machine(total property value can not excess $500.00), washer/dryer machines in a common area or open business

Larceny from vehicle (total property value can not excess $500.00) (This does not include the amount of damage to vehicle, just property taken from the vehicle)

Larceny of parts from vehicle (total property value can not excess $500.00). If the ignition has been tampered with, that is "Tampering with an auto" and an officer will be dispatched)

Larceny of a bicycle (total property value can not excess $500.00)

Obscene communications (Without threats of violence)

Shoplifting (total property value can not excess $500.00) when there is no one in custody, it did not just occur with suspect description and direction of travel, and no one being pursued by a private citizen

Vandalism total property value can not excess $500.00 and there was no shooting into occupied dwellings)

Stolen license plates

The Norfolk Police do not take lost item or lost property reports including lost cell phones

A lost firearm is the ONLY "lost property" report that will be taken by an officer in person.

Public Health - In the Community - WIC

We value you as a customer, please still come to your appointment and bring the child or infant. We have a Nutritionist Assistant at each site, who will do the blood work and measure height and weight.

Public Health - Rabies Control

Rabies is a preventable viral disease of mammals most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. The vast majority of rabies cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each year occur in wild animals like raccoons, skunks, bats and foxes. Domestic animals account for less than 10% of the reported rabies cases, with cats, cattle, and dogs most often reported rabid.

Rabies is most often seen among wild mammals such as raccoons, bats, skunks and foxes. Cats, dogs, ferrets, and livestock can also get rabies if they are not vaccinated to protect them. Deer and large rodents, such as woodchucks, have been found rabid in areas affected by raccoon rabies.

Some animals almost never get rabies. These include wild rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, rats, mice, guinea pigs, gerbils, and hamsters. They can get rabies, but it almost never happens. There are other animals that never ever get rabies. They are birds, snakes, fish, turtles, lizards, and insects.

The first sign of rabies is usually a change in the animal’s behavior. It may become unusually aggressive or unusually tame. The animal may lose fear of people and natural enemies. It may become excited, irritable and snap at anything in its path. Or, it may appear affectionate and friendly. Staggering, convulsions, spitting, choking, frothing at the mouth, and paralysis are sometimes noted. Many animals have a marked change in voice. The animal usually dies within one week after showing signs of rabies.

Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical attention immediately. Contact your doctor and your local health authority immediately. Call Animal Control to take the animal without damaging its head or risking further exposure. If an apparently healthy domestic dog, cat, ferret or other domestic animal bites a person, it must be captured, confined, and observed daily for ten days following the bite. If it remains healthy during this period, the animal did not transmit rabies at the time of the bite. All wild animals must be tested for rabies if human exposures have occurred. Report all animal bites to the local health department. If a rabies-suspect biting animal cannot be observed or tested, or it tests positive for rabies, treatment should begin immediately.

If your pet has been in a fight with another animal, wear gloves to handle it. Isolate it from other animals and people for several hours. Call your veterinarian. Your vaccinated pet will need a booster immunization with rabies vaccine within five days of the exposure. Unvaccinated animals exposed to a known or suspected rabid animal must be confined for six months or humanely destroyed.

Don’t feed, touch or adopt wild animals, stray dogs or cats. Be sure your dogs, cats and ferrets are up-to-date on their rabies vaccinations. Vaccinated pets serve as a buffer between rabid wildlife and man. Protect them, and you may reduce your risk of exposure to rabies. Vaccines for dogs, cats and ferrets after three months of age are effective for a one year period. Revaccinations in dogs and cats are effective for up to three years. Pets too young to be vaccinated should be kept indoors. Some new vaccines have now been licensed, and therefore, can be used for younger animals. Keep family pets indoors at night. Don’t leave them outside unattended or let them roam free. Don’t attract wild animals to your home or yard. Keep your property free of stored bird seed or other foods which may attract wild animals. Feed pets indoors. Tightly cap or put away garbage cans. Board up any openings to your attic, basement, porch or garage. Cap your chimney with screens.

Bats can be particularly difficult to keep out of buildings because they can get through cracks as small as a pencil. Methods to keep bats out (bat-proofing) of homes and summer camps should be done during the fall and winter. If bats are already inside (e. g., in an attic or other areas), consult with your county health authority about humane ways to remove them. Encourage children to immediately tell an adult if they are bitten by any animal. Tell children not to touch any animal they do not know.

If a wild animal is on your property, don't let it wander away. You may contact a animal control officer to remove animal. Do not touch any animal or come in contact with any animal that appears to be sick. Observe the animal from a distance so you can alert animal control to its whereabouts for capture. Report all animal bites or contact with wild animals to your county health authority. Depending on the species, it can be observed or tested for rabies in order to avoid the need for rabies treatment. This includes bats with skin contact or found in a room with a sleeping person, unattended child, or someone with mental impairment. Bats have small, sharp teeth and in certain circumstances people can be bitten and not know it.

The Code of Virginia requires a cost of $12.00 per certificate/search. There is no refund if the certificate is not found. If no record is found for a death certificate request, a “No Record” letter will be issued. Make checks or money orders payable to Norfolk Department of Public Health. Do not send cash.

Public Health - West Nile Virus

Anyone can get West Nile Virus infection if bitten by an infected mosquito; however, even in areas where transmission of West Nile virus is known to be occurring only a small proportion of mosquitoes are likely to be infected. Even if a person is bitten by an infected mosquito, the chance of developing illness is approximately 1/200. People who are over age 50 are at greater risk of severe illness.

West Nile Virus is spread by infected mosquitoes. A mosquito is infected by biting a bird that carries the virus. West Nile Virus is not spread from one person to another, or directly from birds to humans.

The disease may be mild or serious. Mild illness includes fever and muscle aches, swollen lymph glands and sometimes a skin rash. In the elderly, infection may spread to the nervous system or bloodstream and cause sudden fever, intense headache, and stiff neck and confusion, possibly resulting in encephalitis or meningitis. Healthy children and adults may not have any symptoms.

ROW issues permits for all construction work in city right-of-way. Contractors must submit permit applications, construction plans, and maintenance of traffic (MOT) plans 7 to 14 days in advance of work. The application and plans and reviewed and a permit is issued upon approval. The division also seeks to avoid wasteful duplication of effort by coordinating utility work and land other projects well as the associated street, sidewalk, and lane closures in advance of pre-determined milestones and deadlines.

Public Works - Road Work

There are several reasons. Traffic volumes during the day, especially between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. make it ideal for construction work. It is safer to work during the day. Asphalt and concrete suppliers usually do not make deliveries to construction work sites at night. Work is discouraged at night particularly in residential neighborhoods for quality of life reasons. When a travel lane must be closed 24-hours a day, crews are encouraged to work until sundown, but no later than 10 p.m. The contractor or responsible party must notify civic leagues prior to start of work.

The city has a pavement management system which provides an assessment of each street. Resurfacing is also based on other work in the area and when possible, resurfacing is schedule to take place at the end of a project. This can sometimes lead to a street being resurfaced a few months later than originally planned, but it saves money.

The Right of Way division is currently working to add information for every street in the city to the website. Please check the weekly traffic advisory for up to date information. If the location you are looking for is not listed, please contact the City of Norfolk Right of Way Division at 757-664-7306 or anonymously at the Norfolk Call Center, 757-664-4510.

Contractors are required to remove their signs at the end of each day unless they have a 24 hour closure. They are also required to remove signs as soon as their work has been completed. To report a specific location, call the City of Norfolk Right of Way Division at 757-664-7306 or anonymously at the Norfolk Call Center, 757-664-4510.

Dumpsters are allowed on the street only when there is no way to place one on private property. A permit is required. If you think a dumpster has been placed without a permit, call the City of Norfolk Right of Way Division at 757-664-7306 or anonymously at the Norfolk Call Center, 757-664-4510. A ROW inspector will respond immediately.

Public Works - Storm Water

Storm water is a term used to describe water that originates during precipitation events. Storm water that does not soak into the ground becomes surface runoff which flows into the waterways either directly or through storm water pipes and outlets. All storm water ends up untreated in our local waterways!

There are two main areas of concern for storm water runoff. The first is related to the volume and timing of the water runoff, flood control and water supply. The other issue relates to the potential contaminates that the storm water carries to our natural waterways, water pollution and habitat destruction.

As one of the first cities in the country to submit its application for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, Norfolk implemented its Environmental Storm Water Management Program and storm water utility in July 1991. In the absence of federal and state funding, revenue for the Environmental Storm Water Management Program is derived primarily from storm water fees. The Division of Environmental Storm Water Management oversees the program.

Ready by Five

Norfolk Ready By 5, in partnership with Norfolk Public Schools, local public and private agencies and health, wellness and faith communities, is working to provide opportunities that support young children’s healthy development and school readiness, and raising public awareness on the issues surrounding the need for high quality early care and education for all children in our city.

Ready by 5 was launched in 2011 through the Early Learning Challenge Grant awarded by Smart Beginnings of South Hampton Roads to create system-wide changes throughout the City of Norfolk focused solely on school readiness of all children from birth. It is overseen by the Early Learning Advisory Board as appointed by the Norfolk City Council.

When a child thrives in their earliest years, they are ready and poised for success forever! Learning begins at birth, and in the first five years of life, the human brain develops at a faster pace than any other time. That growth depends on nurturing caregivers and is the foundation for all the learning and development that follows.

Often, when children are not prepared, they begin school with a deficit in abilities - cognitive, social/ emotional, and physical - leading to a wide range of problems that are significantly more difficult and exponentially more expensive to address later. The experiences and interactions that take place between birth and school will greatly determine their success.

The City of Norfolk, through this investment in initiatives, is focusing on the promotion of high quality early development and education, parent and caretaker education. The City is also helping early care providers develop best practices in promoting a lifelong love of learning in children as a civic priority, nurturing our future workforce.

Virginia, along with more than half of the states in the U.S., has designed a system to evaluate and improve the quality of early care and education programs. The system is called the Virginia Star Quality Initiative (VSQI) and locally, this is called QRIS (Quality Rating Improvement System) and is a state-wide, voluntary quality assessment and improvement project for child care centers and home providers. It is administered jointly by the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation and the Office of Early Childhood Development.Quality Rating Improvement System details

Real Estate Assessor

If you have just received your annual assessment notice and you disagree with the value, you may schedule an informal appeal with this office by calling 757-823-1343. Requests for informal appeals with staff appraisers or the assessor will be accepted through end of business on May 8th.

Questions, complaints and requests regarding property characteristics may be submitted to the Office of the Real Estate Assessor at any time; however, in order to appeal any unresolved assessment matters to the Board of Review, formal appeal applications must be received no later than the last day of May. The Office of the Real Estate Assessor is available to address taxpayer concerns throughout the year. However, in the event that the appeal deadline for the Board of Review is missed, the hearing will be scheduled for the following year. Deadlines for both informal and formal appeals may be extended on a case by case basis as determined by owners’ extenuating circumstances.

A reassessment is a systematic review of all properties within the City of Norfolk to determine a current market value as of a specific period in time. Annual assessments keep pace with changes in the market. During a reassessment, all property values are examined and adjustments are made where necessary.

The Code of Virginia requires that all real property be assessed for taxation at one hundred percent (100%) of market value. By local ordinance, reassessments must be conducted annually.By conducting an annual review of the current market value for all properties, the City is able to achieve a fair and equitable distribution of the tax burden, since property owners pay their share of the tax burden in relation to the values of all properties.

Properties are appraised and taxed in order to provide revenue for local services such as schools, fire and police protection, public parks and other public benefits. Property owners thereby absorb their fair share of the cost of these benefits in proportion to the amount of money their individual properties are worth.

Fair market value is the amount of money a buyer would be willing to pay a seller for a property offered for sale in an open market, over a reasonable period of time, where both the buyer and seller are well informed and neither is under pressure to buy or sell.

A property’s value can change for many reasons. The most obvious is that the property itself changes. For example, a bedroom, garage or swimming pool is added or part of the property is destroyed by flood or fire. The most frequent cause of a change in value is a change in the real estate market. When market value changes, so does the assessed value. Value is created by transactions in the marketplace. It is important to remember that the assessor does not create value. The assessor simply has the legal responsibility to study those transactions and appraise property accordingly.

Annual reassessments are effective July 1st of each year and the values are based on sales which occurred during the calendar year immediately prior. Changes to assessed values because of new construction, new improvements, alterations, additions, etc. are effective the first day of the next quarter after completion.

All new improvements, new construction, renovations, alterations, etc. are subject to being assessed on a quarterly basis when substantially complete. On July 1st, a partial assessment will be placed on any construction not yet complete. The partial assessment will reflect a percentage of the anticipated total value upon completion.

To find the value of any piece of property, the assessor must first know what similar properties are selling for, what it would cost to replace the property, what rent it may earn and what are the attributable expenses. Using these facts, the assessor can then go about determining the property value in one of three different ways. Please read more about this topic on the How Property is Appraised page.

There are differences between individual properties as well as between neighborhoods. In one area, the sales may indicate a substantial increase in value in a given year. In another neighborhood, there may be no change in value, or even a decrease. Different types of properties within the same neighborhood may also show different value changes. For example, one story houses may be more in demand than two story houses, or vice versa. Older homes in the same area may be rising in value more slowly than newer homes.

There are numerous factors to be considered by the appraiser for each property type. It is the appraiser’s job to determine if and how a property’s characteristics are affecting the neighborhood’s market value. Some of the factors which can affect value are location, condition, size, quality, number of baths and garages, among others.

General trends in property values are often discussed and written about. As part of the assessment process, the Office of the Real Estate Assessor reviews data about real estate trends in the region and in the city. However, we rely primarily on data from the sales of properties similar to the group of properties that we are valuing. As part of these analyses, all properties are placed into neighborhoods that each have specific geographic and economic influences. It is the sales within each neighborhood that most affect the final values of properties.

Just as in many other fields, computers are useful in the assessment process. Assessors are trained to look for relationships between property characteristics and market value. By coding these characteristics and studying sale prices, assessors can estimate value by developing formulas and computer models. Computers are much faster and are capable of advanced analysis in this area.

But despite these capabilities, common sense and assessor judgment are always required to verify assessments. Staff appraiser most familiar with the neighborhoods and properties conduct a final review of all computer generated assessments.

Generally speaking, improvements increasing the market value of a property will also increase the assessed value. The following are typical items that will increase the assessed value of your property:

Proper and regular maintenance will help retain the market value of your property. Generally, your assessment will not be increased for individual minor repairs such as the following; however, a combination of several of these items could result in an increased assessment:

To make a proper assessment on a property, it is desirable for the assessor to view both the interior and exterior of the building(s). The assessor keeps records regarding the physical characteristics of each property in the City of Norfolk. Even though a staff appraiser may have been unable to inspect each property, all assessments are still reviewed each year, based on the existing records and the sales of similar properties in the neighborhood.

To provide the most accurate current market value, all properties should be visited every four to six years. Qualified appraisers from the Office of the Real Estate Assessor review the exterior of all structures to verify the data currently on file.

Currently, in the City of Norfolk, residential field reviews are conducted from the public right of way (sidewalk or street). Interior inspections are conducted if requested by the property owner or if warranted due to a building permit.

If you would like for an appraiser to visit your property and conduct a full review, please call the Office of the Real Estate Assessor at 757-823-1343. An appointment will be scheduled at your convenience.

General information regarding each property is posted on the website. If you would like additional information regarding your property, you may call the Office of the Real Estate Assessor at 757-664-4732 and request a copy of your Property Record Card. If you find incomplete or incorrect information, please contact this office.

Notify the Treasurer’s Office via fax, email or regular mail with a written request for future billings to your mortgage company. Please reference your account number, property address, and the name, address and telephone number of the mortgage company. If you have any additional questions please call 757-664-7849.

It is the policy of the Norfolk Treasurer's Office to mail tax bills 30 days prior to the due date. If you do not receive a bill, contact the Treasurer's Office and a duplicate bill will be mailed to you. Virginia law is clear that it is the responsibility of the taxpayer to know the due date of the tax bill and to pay it on time. Failure to receive a tax bill does not relieve the taxpayer of penalty and interest on a delinquent account.

Yes, Norfolk residents 65 years of age or older or permanently and totally disabled may be eligible for Real Estate Tax Relief or Deferral. There are certain eligibility requirements: please contact the Department of Human Services (757-823-1130) or visit their webpage for more information (using the link provided.) Applications for Tax Relief or Deferral must be filed each year. Real Estate Tax Relief for Elderly and Disabled

Retirees

Becoming a member of the retiree association is a great way to stay in touch with former work associates. Meetings provide an opportunity for discussion and action on issues/concerns of retired employees.

RPOS - Celebrate Trees

The City of Norfolk plants trees on city property from October 15 to March 31, in order to provide time for root establishment in cool weather before spring rains and summer sun. In your yard, however, a tree can be planted at any time, provided you are attentive to its care, particularly watering.

The Bureau of Parks and Urban Forestry has an ongoing process for the evaluation of individual sites for the Living Legacy Grove program. The initial group of sites is currently under review and will be finalized in fall 2010. Basic criteria:

Must be owned by the City of Norfolk (Norfolk Public Schools sites included)

Must be at least a quarter acre in size (roughly a quarter of a football field) or add to an existing forested area

Services - Norfolk Cares

The length of time to correct a problem or respond to a request will vary.

Many violations require, by law, specified amounts of time to correct the violation, while others may be taken to court. In other instances, the problem may not be a violation under a City law and resolution may be more complex.

The first individual estimated tax voucher and payment are sent to the Office of the Commissioner of the Revenue to set up your account. The payment is then forwarded to the Treasurer's Office for processing. All remaining vouchers and payments are sent directly to the Treasurer's Office for processing. Please make checks payable to the Norfolk City Treasurer and mail to: P.O. Box 3215Norfolk, VA 23514-3215

Virginia Individual Income Tax returns are due on May 1 each year. If you need assistance in filing and processing your return, you may contact the Office of the Commissioner of the Revenue at 757-664-7885.

Yes. Partial payments are accepted until the end of the year provided you have executed an agreement with the City Treasurer's Office. However, please note that entering into an agreement does not relieve penalty and interest assessed by the state.

Penalty accrues on the unpaid balance at the rate of 6% per month beginning May 2 through September 1. Interest accrues on the unpaid balance at the rate of less than 1% per month beginning May 2 until paid in full.

No. The City Treasurer's Office only accepts payments for current year state estimated tax and any balance due from the previous year. If you have received a letter from the Department of Taxation, you must contact them directly.

Utilities - Chloramines

Yes. Chloramines have been used by parts of Chesapeake since 1986. They are also used in Newport News, Richmond, Hopewell and Fairfax County. Chloraminated water is safe for bathing, drinking, cooking, and other everyday uses.

No. Unlike chlorine, which dissipates when water sits for a few days, chloramines may take weeks to disappear. If you don’t want to use a dechloraminating chemical, the next best solution is to install a granular activated carbon filter and allow sufficient contact time. Please talk with your pet supply representative.

Chloramines are harmful when they go directly into the bloodstream, as in the kidney dialysis process. Fish also take chloramines directly into their bloodstreams. That’s why chloramines must be removed from water for these two groups.

Disinfection by-products (DBPs) are chemical compounds that are formed when chlorine mixes with very small quantities of natural organics in water. It’s like what happens when you put a tea bag in water, the natural compounds leach out.

Yes. There is a "strip" of land around each reservoir that is owned by the city. The amount of land owned varies with the reservoir because of when they were built, and how property was acquired. Generally, there is a 25-foot strip around Lake Whitehurst and Little Creek Reservoir, and a 10-foot strip around Lake Smith. Even with erosion, Norfolk still owns the property around the reservoirs. For Lakes Lawson, Prince, Western Branch, and Burnt Mills, the amount varies. Check your property plat for an indication of what Norfolk owns. A professional survey may be required to determine the exact amount of property owned by the City of Norfolk.

All uses of the city's property requires permission. We do not allow the removal of trees of any size, brush, or any other material without a permit. A formal landscape plan may be required if extensive work is planned. We would prefer that the property be left as a natural buffer to help protect the reservoir water quality. We understand that you may want a view of the water and will work with you. Contact us at (757) 441-5678 if you have any questions or concerns.

Again, all uses of the city's property requires permission. Care needs to be taken when using any chemicals near the reservoirs - even in front of the house. No fertilizers, herbicides or other chemicals should be applied to City property. Anything applied to your yard will eventually get into the reservoir, and may pose a threat to water quality and wildlife. For more information please review the information on Watershed Protection.

The short answer is "No". Remember, we are your backyard neighbor and a property owner. The property around the reservoir is not an easement. However, we understand that you want to be able to see the reservoir and we can work with you to create a "view corridor". Selective removal of lower tree limbs and trimming of bushes may be allowed, with the proper permits.

What about trees that are leaning or already on the ground or in the water? We will meet with you to discuss your concerns.

No, trees are excellent habitat for the wildlife. While we don't allow limbs and woody debris to be placed on the shoreline for stabilization, trees that have naturally fallen into the lake do not pose a problem.

Removal of trees of any size is prohibited without the proper permits.

If you have a question about a tree in the lake or the safety of a tree on city of Norfolk property around the reservoirs, please call us at 757-441-5678.

Yes. The best method for protecting the shoreline from erosion is to leave the shoreline in a natural condition. Rooted plants are the best defense. Planting may be required to help reestablish the vegetation and this is the recommended option. However, we understand that some areas need extra protection. We have procedures in place that will allow for the construction of a rip-rap revetment.

A permit is required before any work can take place. All shoreline work will require a landscape plan and permit. Permit applications can be obtained by calling 757-441-5678 or from the internet.

Yes. A boat, canoe, or kayak can be placed into the reservoirs. Motors no larger than 10-horsepower may be used. If a boat with a larger motor is put in the reservoir, the larger motor must be disabled. All boats used on Norfolk reservoirs are required to have a Norfolk Boat Permit. For information on obtaining a permit, see the Boat Permit page.

Types of boats that are not allowed in the reservoirs are sailboats, houseboats, inflatables, and personal water craft (ex: jet skis), surfboards and similar devices, including stand-up paddleboards (SUPs).

Boats are not to be moved across city property. However, if you have a pier, you can keep a boat there. A permit to build a pier can be obtained by calling 757-441-5678 or from the internet. There are city maintained boat launches that can be used by the public. For location information and maps, visit the Fishing and Boating page.

Motorized boats are allowed on the reservoirs, but the largest motor you can use is 10-horsepower. Boats with larger motors are allowed on the reservoirs as long as the operational motor is not larger than 10-horsepower. Use of motors over 10-horsepower is expressly prohibited. The use of 4-cycle engines is encouraged. Note: Boats equipped with prohibited motors may be allowed so long as the prohibited motor is disabled (ex: prop removed, not fueled, etc.) and propulsion is provided by a permitted motor.

You can remove the old sticker and place it on the new boat. If the sticker is damaged, a replacement sticker can be obtained for $1.00. Take the damaged sticker with your receipt to the original place of purchase to prove damage and receive the replacement sticker.

Utilities - Water

Occasionally, water can turn brown and rusty in color when iron particles are disturbed and carried with your water. This problem is temporary and generally not harmful. Please see the complete answer for greater detail.

Occasionally, customers of the Norfolk Water System including citizens in Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and Chesapeake may notice a difference in the taste or smell of their drinking water. Bad tasting or smelling water is most often caused by an excessive growth of algae in the City's reservoirs. These algae give off certain natural substances that cause the water to taste or smell different than you are used to. For more information about this problem, please visit the complete answer page.

Pink residue is generally not a problem with water quality. In fact, pink residue is likely a result of airborne bacteria which produce a pinkish or dark gray film on regularly moist surfaces. Such surfaces include toilet bowls, shower heads, sink drains, and tiles. Find out more about this problem on the complete answer page.

If you would like your private well water tested and you live in Norfolk, give us a call at 757-441-5678 and we'll tell you how to collect the sample and the type of container to use. The testing is free to Norfolk citizens. Learn more about our water testing process on the Well Testing page.

When your application for registration is approved by the General Registrar, a Voter Information Notice will be mailed to you. You will be notified if you do not qualify or if the local registrar requires more information to process your application.

Voter registration applications are not processed during the 22 days before an election. To be eligible to vote in an election, the Voter Registration Application Form must be postmarked no later than 22 days before the election.